was found in over 300 gizzards of ducks harvest-
waterfowl feed. Tissues from waterfowl observed
ed by hunters from various Cook Inlet marshes.
to die or found dead in the salt marsh were col-
Evidence for the transport of white phosphorus
lected, and we found white phosphorus in the
gizzards of all 11 carcasses collected in Eagle
up the food chain from prey to predator was ob-
River Flats. Adult mallards dosed in the laborato-
tained in relation to the heavy feeding by bald
ry with white phosphorus showed identical be-
eagles on P4-containing duck carcasses and in the
havioral symptoms to those of wild ducks ob-
presence of white phosphorus in the tissues of
served to become sick and die in Eagle River
one dead eagle found in ERF. We predict that
Flats. All evidence indicates that white phospho-
white phosphorus will persist in ERF sediments
rus, as a particulate in the sediments, is responsi-
and continue to poison waterbirds until remedial
ble for the death of waterfowl in Eagle River
actions are implemented.
Flats. Since the bottom sediments of the shallow
salt marsh ponds are anaerobic, the white phos-
Taylor, S., C.H. Racine, C.M. Collins, and E. Gor-
phorus particles will persist in the sediments in-
don (1994) Ice formation in an estuarian salt
definitely and remain a threat to waterfowl.
marsh, Alaska. USA Cold Regions Research and
Engineering Laboratory, Special Report 9417.
An extensive ice sheet builds up during the
Racine, C.H., M.E. Walsh, C.M. Collins, S. Tay-
winter in a salt marsh complex at the mouth of
lor, B.D. Roebuck, L. Reitsma, and B. Steele
(1993) White phosphorus contamination of salt
Eagle River near Anchorage, Alaska. To clarify
marsh sediments at Eagle River Flats, Alaska.
how snow accumulation, periodic tidal flooding,
USA Cold Regions Research and Engineering
and freshwater flow contribute to the ice cover,
Laboratory, CRREL Report 9317.
ice cores were taken along a transect beginning at
In 1990 we proved that an annual dieoff of
a deep pond along the edge of the salt marsh and
thousands of waterfowl at Eagle River Flats
transversing marsh, shallow pond, and mudflat
(ERF), a 1000-ha estuarine salt marsh at Ft. Rich-
areas. Ice structure, ice salinity, ice thickness, and
ardson, Alaska, was attributable to the ingestion
the presence or absence of sediment bands in the
of highly toxic particles of white phosphorus (P4)
ice are described and were found to charge mark-
that entered the bottom sediments of shallow
edly along the transect.
ponds as a result of training with white-phospho-
rus smoke munitions. The anoxic conditions of
Taylor, S., and M.E. Walsh (1992) Optimization
the bottom sediments preserved the normally
of an analytical method for determining white
highly reactive white phosphorus. In 1991 we
phosphorus in contaminated sediments. USA
delineated the extent of white phosphorus con-
Cold Regions Research and Engineering Labora-
tamination in the ponds of Eagle River Flats and
tory, CRREL Report 9221.
further investigated the biological effects of WP
An analytical method was optimized to deter-
contamination. Over 360 sediment samples were
mine the concentration of white phosphorus
collected from six ponds where ducks were
(WP) in sediments contaminated by smoke muni-
observed to feed and become sick and where car-
tions. The method uses isooctane as the extractant
casses of poisoned waterfowl were found. These
and a gas chromatograph as the determinative
ponds cover about 50 ha of the 1000-ha salt
instrument. Both field-contaminated samples
marsh. Sediment and tissue samples were anal-
and spiked sediments were analyzed and results
yzed for P4 by gas chromatography. White phos-
on the spiked samples indicate that the method
phorus was found in 101 surface sediment sam-
has a better than 80% recovery rate for WP. The
detection limit for the method is 0.88 g/kg of
ples and in sediment cores to depths of 20 cm. The
distribution and highest concentrations of white
soil. The WP recovery is sensitive to the water
phosphorus were localized in two of the six feed-
content of the sediments and to prolonged shak-
ing pond areas, covering about 15 ha. We hypoth-
ing. Fluidizing the wet sediments by adding
esize that these two areas represent the major
water to saturated soil greatly increases WP
sources of waterfowl poisoning in ERF. While the
recovery. Since field samples are contaminated
locations in ERF where various species of water-
with WP particles of various sizes, subsamples
fowl become sick showed close correlation with
may not accurately represent the concentration of
white phosphorus contamination in the sedi-
the sample as a whole.
ments, dead waterfowl were also found in uncon-
taminated areas of ERF. No white phosphorus
U.S. Army Environmental Hygiene Agency
85
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